Alone
by BlueMoonDuchess
Summary: Team returns to PuckWorld with one player down, WildWing. Nosedive finds out that not only has he lost WildWing but his parents, and now has a huge debt to pay. Can the others help?
1. Default Chapter

Author's Note ~ Hey everyone! For those of you who don't know I was on vacation for the last few days, which is why I haven't had any updates, and than with this whole fanfiction.net mess I'm not sure anyone has either, but that's just from what I have seen today, it didn't let me in or anything. Anyway this story I came up with. Don't worry my other chapters will be updated soon! Kay bye for now!  
  
Nosedive let the cool Puck World air swoosh through his hair. He no longer cared about getting knots, and he no longer cared about this "great return" that he had expected for so long.  
  
The team watched in the hotel as the young teenager sat on the balcony.  
  
"I feel so bad for him", said Mallory, "But at least he is taking this very well."  
  
"I'm not so sure", replied Tanya, "He hasn't talked to any of us."  
  
"Guys", said Canard, "He's going through a lot right now, whether he takes the news well or not he is still going to have to live with this."  
  
"But he hasn't cried or anything", said Mallory, "If that was any of us."  
  
"Guys", said Grin, "He's too much in shock."  
  
"Yeah", sighed the group.  
  
It had been two days since the team had left WildWing behind on Earth. They had gained access to the raptor and had also captured all of the saurians, except one; Dragounous. He had WildWing in an awful mess brewing outside. The raptor was about to leave, three seconds and counting, or it was game over and the teleporter would have exploded or been used so WildWing did the noble thing, he told his team to go without him and to "please" send someone back for him.  
  
The team had refused, but knew they had to. So it was Canard who did it. He had done the same thing to WildWing and now WildWing was doing it to him, sacrificing himself, all the other partner had to do was follow through. So Canard did follow through, and unfortunately for Nosedive, WildWing was left behind.  
  
And although that would have been enough it continued, Dragonous stabbed WildWing in the back. No one knew if he had survived it, there was no time.  
  
But that wasn't where it ended. Ostensibly Nosedive's mother was in very bad health condition, so when the camps came along, well she didn't make it. As for his father he had died a long time ago in a car crash, apparently Nosedive had never even known him. Both parents gone, his hero missing or dieing, and dead, none of it mattered, there was no there with him.  
  
"Guys", said Duke, "I'm going to go try and talk to him."  
  
"Yeah that's a good idea", said Tanya, "Good luck."  
  
Duke smiled, "Thanks."  
  
He walked out as the team watched through the see through glass window.  
  
"Hey there kid", said Duke.  
  
Nosedive looked at his friend but said nothing.  
  
"You know if you have anything to talk about", said Duke, "You've got a fan club waiting to help you out."  
  
Nosedive stared at Duke.  
  
"Really", asked Nosedive.  
  
"Yeah", said Duke rather much surprised.  
  
"You guys really want to hear my problems?"  
  
"Yes, we're your friends."  
  
"I don't want to talk to them.just yet. Right now, me and you is just fine for me."  
  
"Sounds good to me. So let's hear it."  
  
"Okay", said Nosedive keeping a steady voice, "I am seventeen turning eighteen in six months therefore no longer entitled to guardian services, meaning I'm all alone. I am now an orphan, I have lost my big brother, who is now on another planet either dieing or dead and here's the best part of this whole thing I used to live in an apartment house and the land lady lord person is a real cheapskate, so she decided to turn into a hotel-"  
  
"Whoa kid take a breath", said Duke, "Now you were at the part with the landlord."  
  
"Okay well as I was saying she is the biggest cheapskate you can find therefore saved Wing and mine's old apartment before she turned it into a hotel exactly the way it was, and now I have to pay off the rent for the whole time that she didn't touch it, knowingly I'd be a celebrity and all, and I have absolutely no money, cause of my parent's deaths so the little witch is making me pay it off in labor. She had this whole thing planned! She even has the paints she wants ready for me."  
  
Nosedive was keeping his cool through all of this, not getting upset and not showing any emotional attachment to any of his loved ones. He only pointed out the logic and the problem. So Duke decided that if Nosedive could play that way so could he.  
  
"What type of labor?"  
  
"Artistic labor."  
  
"Come again?"  
  
"It's no big deal or anything, it actually works out in my favor."  
  
"How's that?"  
  
"Well she's letting me eat for free, and since I have to re-paint the entire place it'll pay off three years worth of rent and food."  
  
"How big is the place?"  
  
"Huge, which is why it'll take me forever."  
  
"Well maybe you can get a crew or something."  
  
"Nah, it's not just painting a wall. It's putting up designs and creating collages, portraits, paintings, charcoal illustrations for her walls and stuff like that."  
  
"You good in art?"  
  
"Guess so."  
  
Duke decided to drop the art thing, and move on like Nosedive's karma suggested.  
  
"Well can I see the place?"  
  
"Sure why not come on down."  
  
"You don't seem to enthusiastic."  
  
Nosedive glared at Duke.  
  
"Right, wrong question, well why don't you come inside and get something to eat okay? We can have whatever we want."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Come on kid."  
  
"I said yes."  
  
"Oh is that whatever goes for these days?"  
  
Nosedive rolled his eyes so Duke placed an arm over his shoulder, "It'll be all right kid." Nosedive looked up at Duke sadly, his eyes huge, and heart heavy, no words needed to be expressed.  
  
The next day Nosedive announced that he needed a ride over to the apartment building where he would be working. Of course everyone was willing to help. So the entire group went for the trip over, of course none of them really ready to let Nosedive go, but they did as he asked.  
  
When the arrived they were astonished the by the size of the four buildings that were owned by one person. They were huge and the fact that Nosedive had to paint all of them was tremendous.  
  
A curly-portly woman approached.  
  
"Nosedive", she scrieked, "What is a taken you so long"  
  
"Sorry Miss Portler."  
  
"You better get workin' on these walls of mine, customers want a nice place, and my competition has nice walls, but I'm gonna be a blowin them away with your stuff. Now get working."  
  
The other ducks were speechless. This women showed absolutely no sympathy for Nosedive, or practically anyone else, except of course her customers.  
  
"Can I settle down for a day?"  
  
"Yes of course, but tomorrow I expect you ready!"  
  
Than in a more quiet voice, "And Nosedive I'm sorry about your family, it'll be all right, besides you got family here."  
  
That remark which was supposed to be sympathetic made Nosedive feel even worse, that this lady, someone who seemed to have a problem every minute was now his family.  
  
"You remember where your room is right?"  
  
"Yeah I remember."  
  
"You're keys aren't ready yet, so I think you might as well just break into the place." "Thanks", groaned Nosedive, "Bye."  
  
"Goodbye. and Nosedive, tomorrow."  
  
"Yes ma'am."  
  
The ducks followed Nosedive up to his room. The place was huge, and in pretty good shape, but desperately begged for a paint job. Every wall Nosedive saw, he groaned, and at every corner filled with bugs he groaned. The job was going to take him forever. Finally the team arrived at his room.  
  
"Kid", said Duke, "I thought she said that you couldn't get in."  
  
"What? Oh that, yeah well watch."  
  
Nosedive stomped on the floor three times and than banged on the door. As if by magic it opened.  
  
"Don't ask", said Nosedive.  
  
"Don't worry, we're not", said Mallory.  
  
When the team stepped inside they gasped. The entire place was filled with dust and cobwebs. Nosedive lost his stability and pratically fainted if not for his friends to catch him.  
  
"Easy buddy", said Canard.  
  
"Yeah", stuttered Nosedive, "Right."  
  
The team examined the dusty walls.  
  
"These paintings are exquisite", said Mallory, "Where'd you get them?"  
  
"I did them", said Nosedive.  
  
The team looked at him in awe.  
  
"Now you see why I have to do the walls without a crew right, it'd be easy enough to paint them, but I need to put up exotic designs and what not. Gonna take me forever, but it could worse."  
  
"Kid has talent", whispered Duke to the team.  
  
"Incredible talent", replied Tanya.  
  
Nosedive walked past a few pictures of him and WildWing as children and put them face down. He walked into his bedroom and slumped into his bed. It was a rather unusual bed for anyone to sleep in.  
  
As children the mother couldn't afford to buy them beds, or a good hotel room because she was always sick. So in the bedroom for the boys, the only bedroom might I add since the mother was always in the hospital, or slept on the couch which used to be a closet was blown out and than rebuilt. Unfortunately the room was right above ball room which had an arch in the ceiling. A huge arch. So WildWing decided to be creative and have Nosedive's bed on top of the arch, and than carve out the bottom part and sleep there.  
  
Both brothers adored the beds more than regular beds. But somehow the magic was gone when Nosedive knew that WildWing wasn't going to be there underneath him.  
  
Nosedive came out in a few minutes of reminiscing and found food displayed.  
  
"We ordered in", said Mallory dully.  
  
"Thanks", sighed Nosedive.  
  
Finally the teammates left the teenager, but they'd be back tomorrow, for tomorrow was another day. 


	2. Anti-Social Behavior

A/N: Thanks to Sailor Vegata, and Ottercub. I was inspired to write this story from Dolphy's excellent art-work. Check out her site, which contains fantastic artwork from Disney, including the Mighty Ducks. Her site is so good it was asked to compete in Fantasy Fights. Vote for her! Anyway you can check out her site at:  
  
http://www.dolphys-disney-den.de/  
  
Congrats to Solar-Sun, Orenda, Windress, Justsomeone and of course Eiflen on their new chapters! Loved all of them guys, great work!  
  
Thank you to Eiflen, and Justsomeone who are very generous with their reviews and always review my work.  
  
Now the story:  
  
The next day the team came back to help Nosedive settle in. When the reached his room there was a crowd of aggravated people trying to get in. Some of them seemed to be fighting with one another while others kept no heed to each other and just banged on his door.  
  
"What is going on here", shouted Canard getting everyone's attention.  
  
Luckily when everyone in your team is over six feet, (except Mallory) it's quite easy to calm a crowd.  
  
Miss Potter came up, "Nosedive isn't coming out of his room! He has work to do!"  
  
"Who cares", snapped a man, "Leave the poor kid alone. We are his family members unlike you and we wish to speak with him."  
  
"We have a right to", said another family member, "He's being a brat, and spoiled. We have to straighten him out."  
  
"What are you talking about", shot a teenager angrily, "He hates you, all of you. He can't stand his family! All you want is some publicity."  
  
"Speaking of which", said the other teenager, "These people are from the press. They want an interview with him."  
  
"All right", shouted Grin.  
  
Everyone jumped, including the team members. No one had ever heard Grin raise his voice, or even be hostile in anyway.  
  
"Press related people", he continued, "Leave now."  
  
Now being six feet is great, but being seven feet is even better, and with muscles, well let's just say they were in a hurry to get out.  
  
"Miss Potter", said Grin, "Nosedive said he would do your walls and he will. At least give him one more day. Your walls aren't going anywhere. And your "competition" isn't going to have a dynasty in one day's work. Rome wasn't built in a day, so will one day matter?"  
  
"I do not care", snapped Miss Potter, "But since you seen as stubborn as I and I have work to attend to, tell him this. I was only coming over to see if he had gotten started on those sketches. Tell him he better have them started."  
  
With that said the redhead (not Mallory) stormed out of the hallway.  
  
"Must be the hair color", muttered Duke.  
  
"What was that", snapped Mallory.  
  
"Nothing", replied Duke.  
  
Canard rolled his eyes, "Now are all of you family?"  
  
"No", said a brown-head teenager, "The three of us are his closest friends. We spoke with him on the phone. We had this planned. But he won't open the door with these monsters here!"  
  
"We are not mons-", began a family member that was soon cut off.  
  
"Canard", said the red-head, "It's us. Please remember us. It's me Randy."  
  
Randy had short red hair that curled in the front. He was lean but obtained a few muscles. He was the smartest in the bunch but also the most strict and adult like.  
  
Johnson had blonde hair in a mushroom cut. He was most like Nosedive. He hadn't a clue about the world around him. He was truly clueless, but a lot of fun.  
  
Terry was a brunette who had short hair expect for his bangs, which went down to his ears. He was pretty much in between Randy and Nosedive in his personality. Fun and understand described him best.  
  
Nosedive was the last member of the group with his features you already know. He was pure fun, or used to be. Fun, clever, and carefree were the words fit for him. That stubborn and lazy.  
  
"We know this guy", asked Johnson.  
  
"Yes Johnson", snapped Randy, "Well we do, you just have mental issues, remember?"  
  
"Oh yeah", said Johnson merrily.  
  
Randy rolled his eyes in disgust.  
  
"I do remember them", said Canard, "They can go in. As for you people, (the family) I remember you all too. Loud and annoying, and right Nosedive doesn't need that. It's not like him to be anti-social and if you knew that about him than you would have already calmed down and tried to reason with him instead of banging on this door."  
  
"I don't care what anyone says", screamed a lady, "I'm going in!"  
  
"Yeah who died and made him in charge anyway", screamed a man.  
  
"Shut-up", shouted Grin.  
  
Everyone did as they were told.  
  
"This is not about who Nosedive likes best, it's not a popularity contest. What it is, is Nosedive in depression. We are his friends as are these young gentlemen right here. What you are, I do not know or wish to know. You are going to let us in, and you are going to shut-up."  
  
"Now give me your money", shouted Duke.  
  
The people took out their wallets hastily.  
  
"Heh still works", said Duke.  
  
The family members left angrily with a promise to be back soon. Terry gently knocked on the door.  
  
"Nosedive it's us", he said, "Open up okay?"  
  
"Go away", screamed Nosedive, "Uncle Harry, I'm not signing your thing, Aunt Margret I can't get your taxes reduced, Lisa you ne-"  
  
"Dive man no", said Johnson, "It's us your pals, and your teammates. They got rid of everyone else."  
  
"For real?"  
  
"Yeah", said Randy, "Come on we're dying to see you man."  
  
"I can't get up", said Nosedive, "And I'm not trying either, you know how to get in."  
  
"Oh yeah I remember", said Terry.  
  
He was about to stomp on the floor when Johnson pushed him out of the way.  
  
"No fair", he screamed, "You got to push the elevator button, I want to open the door."  
  
Terry rolled his eyes something that the team saw was a reflex to whenever Johnson spoke.  
  
Johnson stomped his foot three times.  
  
"Now what", he asked.  
  
Randy pushed his friend out of the way and banged on the door.  
  
"You", he said "Are an incredible moron, did you know that?"  
  
Johnson stuck his tongue. But the game was over as soon as they saw Nosedive. He looked like crap with circles under his eyes and slumpy attitude. He was on the floor laying down for the couch and apparently the beds were occupied with artistic things. But the friends tried to ignore his depression and tumbled into him with a bear hug.  
  
"Hey man", they cried.  
  
The team came in and smiled seeing Nosedive happy. His sparkle was beginning to return. But after examining Nosedive they examined his apartment. The entire thing was covered in art stuff. Many blueprints scrolled out on the floor, paint cans on the shelves and in the sink, brushes of all texture laid out on the coffee table, sketches all over the room in various places, pencil shavings all over the floor, wood cut out frames with designs of beauty shaped into them everywhere, and more. The team had to watch where they walked and what they touched because the entire room was surrounded in his work.  
  
They also found watercolors, easels, art books, charcoals, colored pencils, sketch pads, tiles, mosaic pieces, and an assortment of tools they were unknowledgeable of.  
  
"Dive", said Tanya, "You must be dead. When did you get all this stuff. When did you do all of these things?"  
  
"Well most of it was from Miss Potter", said Nosedive tiredly, "She said that she wasn't going to store it anymore so I got it. I get to keep the left-overs too. Anyway I started doing the sketches as soon as you guys left yesterday."  
  
"Nosedive", said Randy sternly, "Don't you think you should have been doing other things?"  
  
"Like what", asked Nosedive.  
  
"Dive", said Terry, "You okay?"  
  
"Yes I'm fine", snapped Nosedive, "Would you guys get off of that."  
  
"Yeah they're sorry", said Johnson who was picking up a large piece of glass, "Ooh what is for?"  
  
"Don't touch that", screamed Nosedive.  
  
Johnson dropped the glass as it shattered into a million pieces.  
  
"Heh oops", he said.  
  
His friends as well as the team were ready for Nosedive to throw a fit but surprisingly enough he didn't. He just groaned and fell back down to the floor as if to say, "I'm never getting up".  
  
"Dive", said Randy, "You want us to get you another one of them?"  
  
"No", sighed Nosedive, "That's fine. I was planning on breaking it anyway."  
  
"See I didn't screw it up", screamed Johnson.  
  
"Beg to differ", sighed Nosedive, "I was going to make a picture out of painted glass, and I had to break it anyway. I just planned on breaking each piece myself, one at a time from the whole. That way it would be easier you know?"  
  
"Oops", replied Johnson.  
  
"Nah don't worry about it."  
  
"Okay", said Johnson who was once again smiling.  
  
"Okay Nosedive", said Duke, "You planning on staying down on that floor for the rest of your life?"  
  
"Yes", said Nosedive grinning, but soon his smile faded, "No. I'll get up."  
  
The team exchanged looks of worry and pity.  
  
"So", said Nosedive, "What can I do you for?"  
  
"Well", said Canard, "We were going to help you move into this place, but there's not much room, okay there's no room to do anything."  
  
"Yeah", said Nosedive. "Well what about you guys?"  
  
"Who us", asked Terry.  
  
"Yeah you", replied Nosedive, "What are you guys doing here?"  
  
"Nosedive", said Tanya gently, "They're your friends they came to see you."  
  
"Oh yeah", replied Nosedive.  
  
"Nosedive", said Randy, "You get drunk last night or something?"  
  
"No", said Nosedive, "Just had no sleep no thinking straight."  
  
"Well that could be because of other things", said Randy.  
  
"Yeah care to talk about it", asked Terry.  
  
Nosedive was about to open his mouth and talk about his feelings but Johnson prevented him.  
  
"Hey look", cried Johnson, "It bounces!"  
  
"Johnson", cried Nosedive, "No!"  
  
Soon there were three pink things bouncing off the walls with a promise to break something.  
  
"Nosedive", cried Mallory dodging one, "What are those things?"  
  
"Erasers", shouted Nosedive ducking one.  
  
"Kind of hazardous", shouted Canard, "Don't you think?"  
  
"Just a bit", cried Nosedive as he caught one.  
  
"A bit", said Canard, who also caught one, "I'd say more than that!"  
  
One went straight for the window but was luckily caught by Terry, "Well that was fun."  
  
"Hey look", cried Johnson, "There's more! Let's bounce these too!"  
  
"NO", shouted everyone.  
  
"Geez touchy", said Johnson.  
  
"Ah man guys", said Randy, "We got to go, either we catch this bus or the late one which isn't safe."  
  
"Come on", said Johnson, "What are they going to do on a bus, eat us?"  
  
"Let's go guys", said Terry, "We'll call you Nosedive to make some plans."  
  
"Kay", said Nosedive, "Bye."  
  
The three left out the door, which was soon once again opened by Johnson.  
  
"Can I borrow an eraser thingy for the ride home?"  
  
"No", shouted Terry and Randy at the same time. They dragged their friend out.  
  
Nosedive smiled at his friends.  
  
"Well they seem nice", said Mallory.  
  
"Yeah", replied Nosedive, "They are. Randy is like a genius but with a really short fuse. He's real cool guy to hang out with, but has no patience. But on the other hand he is a real nice guy. Wants to be a business major or something. Terry is a real cool guy too, lot of patience and understanding. Fun to be with. Wants to be a photographer. And than there's Johnson." Nosedive began to giggle, "He's either fun or a piece of work. And always clueless. He wants to be movie and food critic."  
  
The team chuckled lightly to themselves.  
  
"So Nosedive", said Tanya, "What do you want to be?"  
  
"Me? I don't know yet."  
  
"Can I make a recommendation?"  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"An art-teacher. You love people and you're great at art."  
  
"Yeah I'd like that. But I ain't going to college, don't got the money. I don't even have a high school diploma."  
  
"Were you planning on getting one", asked Mallory.  
  
"I was", said Nosedive.  
  
"Yeah so was WildWing", replied Canard, "What happened?  
  
"Guys I can't go to school. Miss Potter won't let me, besides why bother with a high school diploma when I ain't going to college?"  
  
And that was it. Nosedive couldn't go to school and yet another reason to be sorry for the poor child who was aching to go.  
  
"So than what do you plan on doing", asked Mallory sympathetically.  
  
"Well the next three years I'm fine. I'll find something else to do in the remaining portion of my life."  
  
Nosedive made sound like the goal was death. The teenager had been through so much and was still going to have to go through it. Each day he would have to work for that witch and than when the work was over he knew damn well that he wasn't going to be allowed to stay and eat for free.  
  
The team decided to drop the conversation and bring it up again when the time came for they knew they would be the guardians in this teenager's life for a very long time.  
  
"So what's the deal with your family", asked Duke.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You wouldn't let them in", said Mallory softly.  
  
"That is not family", said Nosedive, "That was an example of hell on Earth."  
  
The team laughed, "Come again", chuckled Canard.  
  
"All they wanted to do was cry in front of me, and hug me and be all emotional. Well that's what my aunts wanted, except for Aunt Margaret who was with Uncle Harry and they wanted some tax reduction. And than there was Lisa who's just ugh."  
  
"Ugh", questioned Grin.  
  
"Yeah she's like drugs."  
  
"And you came to this conclusion how", asked Mallory.  
  
"Well", said Nosedive, "You know people who are drug addicts, or smokers? They have to have the cigarette or drug because they're addicted to it. They don't want it but if they don't take than their body starts making them feel really sick. Well with Lisa she is a bad thing but if you don't talk to her than she makes you feel bad, but when you do talk to her she makes you feel worse. You can't win with her, I don't even think that there is word for her yet, so I call her ugh."  
  
"Cute", snickered Duke.  
  
"So kid", said Canard, "What are you doing for dinner?"  
  
"Well we could eat the hotel food", said Nosedive, "Which is another way of saying poison or we could order in."  
  
"How bout we eat out", suggested Canard trying to get the child to be more social and interactive.  
  
"No that's okay", said Nosedive, "If you guys have your heart set on eating out go right ahead, I'm not going anywhere."  
  
"Dive", said Tanya, "Why don't we at least try the new place across town."  
  
"I said no", said Nosedive, "You can't make me! I'm not going!"  
  
"Nosedive", said Grin, "Calm down, no one is making you do anything. Just suggestions."  
  
"Yeah", asked Nosedive, "Well that's enough suggesting for tonight. I got of a lot of work to do, so if you could just leave it'd be a lot of help."  
  
"Nosedive", said Mallory, "You still have to eat."  
  
"I'm not hungry", he replied, "Just go okay? Please."  
  
Nosedive said it so desperately it was scary. No one had any choice other than to listen to the boy's wants not knowing how else to act.  
  
"We'll be back soon", said Duke, "Okay?"  
  
Nosedive nodded, "Sure."  
  
Duke grimaced, he was not making any progress with the kid. But he knew that the only way to help as of now was to leave and respect the wish that had been asked of him. So Duke left with a knot in his stomach the size of a moon, but he left.  
  
Little did he know that he would not be returning the next day. Terry, Johnson, and Randy had called saying that they were treating Nosedive out. Each day they spent time with him on his little lunch break, and after work. The team thought that Nosedive was doing great and for them to step into the picture would be too much. But then they received the phone call.  
  
It had been about two weeks since Nosedive's friends had been hanging out with him and two weeks for them to admit they needed help.  
  
There was a knock on the apartment door where the team lived. Everyone was just living there temporarily until they figured out all of the paperwork that had been thrown at them. Not wanting to bother Nosedive they did his paperwork for him.  
  
"I'll get it", said Duke.  
  
When he opened the door he was much rather surprised to see Terry, Randy, and Johnson.  
  
"Hi Duke", said Randy, "Remember us?"  
  
"Um yeah", said Duke, "Come on in."  
  
"Thanks", replied the boys.  
  
"Can we have a talk with all of you", asked Terry, "It's kind of important."  
  
"Of course", said Grin, "Come sit yourselves down."  
  
"Thank you", replied Terry followed by his friends. Once everyone was settled he began his complaints.  
  
"This isn't easy for me", said Randy, "Or any of us, but we would like to ask you something."  
  
"Shoot", said Grin, "You'll never know if you don't ask."  
  
"Right", said Terry, "It's just that Nosedive isn't himself. He's too anti- social. He hardly talks to us anymore. He keeps confiding himself whenever he gets the chance. He won't face reality so instead he hides from it and keeps pretending that it'll just go away. All he does is paint and draw. He works like a dog thanks to Miss Potter already but to have to deal with his brother gone and his mother it's just killing him. Losing WildWing is like losing his dad all over again. "  
  
The team sighed and exchanged looks of concern.  
  
"But that's not it", said Terry, "We too thought it would just go away, like Nosedive but."  
  
"We knew nothing was coming to be good", said Johnson, "When he smacked his grandmother! Man you should have seen the fight, he was all over her it was grea-"  
  
"Johnson", cried Randy, "Now you know why I wanted to leave you in the car!"  
  
"Wait a minute", said Mallory, "Hold up. Nosedive hit his grandmother?"  
  
"Not exactly", said Randy, "But just for the record she is a-, what's a word that will do a-" "A witch", cried Johnson excitedly, "See I got one!"  
  
"What do you want a cookie", snapped Terry.  
  
Johnson scowled, "You people are no fun, he's just upset that's all and that witch isn't any help with her critizi- rudeness!"  
  
"You see", said Randy, "When I say Nosedive has a screwed up family, I mean it. And that grandmother is the root of all the problems. But that's not the point. She never liked Nosedive, I don't know why but she never did. It was quite obvious. Anyway she can't stand the fact that Nosedive's artwork is up for display like a museum. She was a painter before she retired and for some reason she thinks that Nosedive is competing with her."  
  
"That's sick", said Mallory in disgust.  
  
"Yeah well it gets more sickening", said Terry, "When she came over and started telling Nosedive that he was doing it all wrong. She made up come down and re showed him how to hold a brush, how to paint everything. Than when he got back up on the ladder she started telling him that he was doing it all wrong. Every little thing he did was a disaster for her. She just wanted to make him upset, which she did. Nosedive came down the ladder ready to kill. But he kept his temper-"  
  
"Was that before or after he dumped the paint on her", asked Johnson.  
  
"Before", said Terry.  
  
"Yeah you see he was real mad", said Randy, "And wasn't thinking straight, hasn't been thinking straight ever since we seen him but that's besides the point. Anyway he was mad, but tried not to show it. His exact words were, "Grandma I know that it's not as perfect as you would like but it's fine with Miss Potter and Miss Potter doesn't just go around giving compliments, not her nature. But if she sees something that is worthy of her admiration she says it and she likes my stuff okay? And that's all that matters."  
  
"And than", said Terry, "She said, "Well if you want to settle for second best I suppose that's fine. I mean after all it must be very frustrating and humiliating to try and be as good as the best when you know you'll never make it, just out of your reach."  
  
"What a witch", gasped Mallory, "What is her problem?"  
  
"Jealously", said Tanya, "I think. Isn't that right?"  
  
"Exactly", said Terry.  
  
"But fear too", said Randy.  
  
"Fear", asked Canard, "How?"  
  
"Well you see she's afraid that everyone will say Nosedive's better than she is", replied Randy, "She thinks it's a contest."  
  
"That's screwed up", said Duke.  
  
"It's human nature to be jealous", said Grin, "But what she said constitutes as mean."  
  
"I'm afraid to ask", asked Duke, "But how did Nosedive react?"  
  
"Nosedive didn't blow up yet", said Johnson stuffing his face with a cookie, "That comes later. If that's what you're asking."  
  
"Yeah see than", said Randy, "Nosedive said, "Excuse me? Grandma I don't understand." Than she said, "You don't understand that? I didn't think you were that dumb." Now that was a big mistake calling Nosedive dumb, he gets all sensitive over that, but let me continue with her wonderful speech. "How could you not understand?" So Nosedive said, "You said I was second best, second best in what?"  
  
"So she said", said Terry, "In art." So he said, "Come again". So she said, "You are second best in art." So he said, "Who's first best"? So she said, "Why me of course! You'll never amount to my immaculate work but I'm proud of you for trying."  
  
"See Nosedive didn't like that", said Johnson.  
  
"Yeah", said Randy, "Dive didn't shout or anything but."  
  
"He said", said Terry, "You and art obviously belong together. Show me something on these walls. Allow me to show you your tools." Than he pushed her into a few buckets of paint." She screamed which attracted Miss Potter."  
  
"Let me tell you something about Miss Potter", said Randy, "She truly cares for Nosedive but can never seem to show it, she's a good person but has problems showing her feelings. Anyway Nosedive doesn't like screwing up in her eyes. See she was the mother that he never had, one that was always there for him. His other mother, which he loved dearly, was always in the hospital and didn't constitute as a mom-mom. So Miss Potter took her place, which she was thankful for. Anyway Miss Potter lecturing Nosedive does not work well. He tries so hard to be good for her and when she yells he feels like crap."  
  
"So", said Terry, "With his grandmother screaming like that, and him wasting all that paint, you can imagine where chaos took its toll. Nosedive needs help. All he is doing now is working on his sketches and painting the stuff he can do from inside his room. He wont' speak with us, and he won't talk to anyone. He's made a few short appearances outside to finish up the ceiling piece but has said nothing to nobody. And with all of the search and rescue planes going in for WildWing and not finding him you can see where he has lost his last shred of hope. You guys have to talk to him."  
  
"Yeah", said Johnson, "You're adults he'll have to listen to you."  
  
The team looked at each other worriedly, this was not going to be easy. 


	3. New Arrangements

A/N: Thanks everyone for reviewing!  
  
It was quick and sweet. The team had come for Nosedive after much debate on what do with him before hand but now they had had their plan, which they were quite proud of, and had executed it.  
  
Mallory and Grin dealt with Miss Potter, and explained to her that were taking Nosedive into their custody, he would not be finishing any laboring jobs for her, and that if she tried anything they would sue for child labor. That was that.  
  
Then came Tanya who went to Nosedive's room, packed his few belongings, and had his art supplies, (the ones that belonged to him) packaged and shipped out to his new home.  
  
Then the part that was most difficult. Telling Nosedive that he would not be continuing on was the lifestyle that he had chosen for himself. The team left that job to Canard and Duke. They had found the teenager up on a ladder painting an exquisite design that consisted of thorns, and leaves. They called the teen down and with some resistance Nosedive came.  
  
They told him that they were changing his whole life around and that he would be living with Duke, and working for Tanya drawing pictures of the body for a science book, or he could go to school. That was his choice. But that was only his choice. Nothing else. He had no control over anything. He was no longer going to be living alone, but instead with Duke.  
  
Nosedive did not react well to the news, and after screaming and having a fit in public. The teen found that fighting was futile, gave up and then went into a silent vow. He no longer spoke to anyone. He had no wish to communicate with any team member. And that was how it was. For the first few days Duke let it go. But then he told him to get to work and start living his life.  
  
But Duke wasn't being mean. He was parenting and trying his best to get the kid back out there. But he soon realized that the child was in serious depression and that it was not going anywhere except deeper. Duke started to notice the teen have sleepless nights, and acting oddly in his walk and appearance. Duke respected him though, and told him to do whatever he felt to be comfortable. Being roommates with Nosedive, Duke had no problem with. And being roommates with Duke, Nosedive had no problem with.  
  
But Nosedive did have a problem with the lack of father, mother, and now brother. Memories flooded his mind, and the sleepless nights started to grow in numbers. Duke took the teen on long train trips to get home; found the longest route and made sure they were on it. That enabled the child to sleep some, but as soon as a stop came the train would come to a screeching halt and wake up Nosedive.  
  
And still Nosedive refused to talk, or communicate his needs. He did everything was himself and was completely independent. He was a roommate who had to pay rent, (or as Nosedive saw it, Duke would never make him pay), and that was that. He was still independent. But things were not right, and not well.  
  
Two weeks passed by and no words or wants had been expressed from him. The team worried severely over how to deal with the situation. The long hard days of being an adult when truly a child had finally taken their toll. His childhood wasn't exactly the easiest, mother in the hospital, father dead, war, being transported into different dimensions and then to top it all off to lose his brother. Well that was as much as Nosedive could take. So he dealt with his pain by not dealing with it.  
  
However, despite his vow towards silence on the fourth week, (a month since the new living arrangements) he started talking to Duke in private. Not saying much about anything, but conversations flourished. Nothing important, and nothing that really had a side to it, but it was a start. Duke happily made a note of it, and the team happily agreed on that this was progress. Although the teen refused to speak to Duke in public, he did on occasion speak to him at night. And although the conversations didn't have Nosedive expressing any emotion whatsoever it was a start.  
  
And from that start, the conversations began to become more rapidly. He started talking more often. Every night he would at least say one thing. That was it. From here Duke decided that from that point he could truly be able to start molding the kid's life back. Duke came to a conclusion of inviting his friends over for drinks.  
  
Nosedive walked in to find Duke and his friends drinking around the television set, with chips and dip in the middle.  
  
"Hey kid", said Duke as if nothing was happening.  
  
Nosedive said nothing, and didn't even acknowledge his greeting. Instead he studied the men.  
  
"These are my friends", said Duke, "They're going to stay for dinner."  
  
Nosedive's eyes almost popped out of his head. He did not want strangers intruding on his life.  
  
"You're more than welcome to invite your friends", said Duke, "Their numbers are on speed dial. Johnson took the liberty to put them there himself. Actually only Johnson's number is there but I'm sure he has everyone else's."  
  
Nosedive said nothing but marched into his bedroom and slammed the door. He knew exactly what Duke was doing and it was not going to work. He was not going to socialize and most of all he was not going to fight with Duke. Duke wanted him to either to get him to invite his friend over, or get him mad at him. Duke would have Nosedive so mad at him that he would have to talk, and then having control over him. Of course all Duke wanted the kid to do was to invite his friend over, but to Nosedive it was another story. Everything in his life was distorting itself, and he couldn't control it. Duke knew all this, and knew the consequences of inviting his friends over. He was actually aiming for them. He wanted the kid to admit that there was a problem, and maybe go for some therapy or at least talk to him or anyone.  
  
Therapy to Nosedive was something he would never do though. As a child he was constantly being pulled into the Guidance rooms because of his parents. They were always talking to him, and making him talk and listen to what they had to say. He hated it. He had had enough therapy and anymore would only lead to rebellious occurrences.  
  
So after Duke's friends left, Duke went into Nosedive's room to find the teen staring out into space trying to determine his life's goal, and just trying to figure out what he was doing. Duke sat down next to him and rubbed the teen's back.  
  
The two sat like that, and fortunately the phone rang. Duke hung up the phone excitedly, and then grabbed his keys and dragged Nosedive out the door. 


End file.
